Wag on-gear



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. J. PHELPS. WAGON GEAR.

No. 560,280. Patented May 19, 1896.

[Hill Hunnnmmum l N jfdfl/QJP/ZdW-S, 5y 721's ailorney ANDREW BARAHAM PHOTb-UTKQWASHINGTOM D c NO Modi. 2 Shefis-Sheet 2.

H- J. PHELPS.

WAGON GEAR.

No. 560,280. V Patented May 19, 1896.

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UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY .I. PHELPS, OF HAVANA, ILLINOIS.

WAG'ON-G EAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,280, dated May 19, 1896. Application filed September 3, 1895; Serial No. 561,200. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY .I. PHELPS, of Havana, in the county of Mason and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wagons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wagons in which the reach and the axles are made of metal tubes. It relates in part to the axles and in part to the reach. It is exemplified in the structure hereinafter described, and it is defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan of the runninggear of a wagon embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a front axle and adjuncts with the tongue removed. Fig. 3 is an end view of a tube used in the construction of the reach. Fig. 4: isa section through a front wheel. Fig. 5 is a detail drawing showing in a broken section the means employed in securing the reach-tubes to the axles.

The rear wheels are shown at 1 and the front wheels at 2. The axles are one like the other and the details of their construction are shown in Fig. 4, where 4 designates an inner tube and 3 an outer tube incasing the tube 4. The outer tube is long enough to provide bearings for the wheels, and the inner tube extends beyond the outer tube far enough to provide threads 5 for nut 6. The nut is screwed onto the threaded end of the inner tube and it abuts against the end of the outer tube, the provision being such that the end of the outer tube forms a shoulder that limits the movement of the nut and insures sufficient play for thewheel-hub 7. Each axle end is constructed in the manner just de scribed. Castings 8 are provided with openings to admit the front axles, and they are secured to the san d-board 16 by bolts 11, which extend through lugs 9 of the castings and through straps 12 on the upper surface of the sand-board. The bolts 11 are at the inner ends of the castings, and the outer ends 10 of said castings are thickened togive the spindles the required downward pitch when the bolts are tightened. The rear axle is secured to the bolster in the manner described, castings, as 8 in Fig. 5, being employed to make the connections. The castings have lugs 9,

and they are provided with the T extensions swinging head 17 is pivoted on bolt 18 in fifth-wheel 23 of the front truck, and the for- -ward ends of the reach-tubes are fastened in sockets in the head by means of bolts 19, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The rear bolster is shown at 21, the front bolster at 22, and 20 designates socket-castings on the bolsters adapted to receive standards.

The reach-tubes converge from near the ends of the rear axle toward the center of the forward axle, and as they are firmly fastened at their ends their natural tendency is to hold the axles against independent vertical tilting motion, a motion that is necessary to enable the wagon to travel freely over rough roads or over unusual obstructions. Provision for this motion is made by the particular kind of tubing used in the reach, as the open seams permit an amount of torsional play in the tubes themselves sufficient for all demands in that direction.

The means shown for connecting the ends of the reach-tubes with the trucks effectually prevents the tubes from turning in the castings, or, in other Words, makes a good me chanical joint; but the edges of the seams of the tubes have the very slight motion necessary to permit the desired torsional play.

As shown and described, the outer tube of the axle extends from the outside of one wheel to the outside of the other wheel, a construc tion that is preferable for the reason that it strengthens the axle and requires no special fitting; but it will be seen that sleeves fastened to the inner axle and extended through the hubs will provide shoulders for the nuts, and in that way effect a desirable result of thispart of the improvement.

In practice I make the inner axle tubular to save metal; but the result is the same, in a mechanical sense, if it is solid, and I do not restrict myself to the tubular form.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. A reach-frame for wagons, made of run welded, or open-scam, tubing, connected with the rear axle and with a front pivot-head, substantially as set forth.

2. A reach for wagons, composed of two converging unwelded, or open-seam, tubes extended from near the ends of the rear axle to a front pivot-head and fastened to both, substantially as set forth.

8. A vehicle-axle consisting of two tubes, one inside the other, the outer tube extending through the wheel-hubs and forming shoulders, the inner tube extending through the outer and having threads on its projecting ends, and wheel-securing nuts on the innor tube abutting against the shoulders I5 formed by the outer,substantial1y as set forth. In testimony whereof I sign my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. HARVEY .T. PHELPS. Attest:

G. E. MITCHELL, L. B. AsHURsT. 

